Tactile touch-sensing system

Abstract

A tactile touch-sensing system that includes a touch sensor, touch-generating pads, and tactile buttons. The touch sensor is configured to produce an electrical signal in response to a touch. The touch-generating pads cover at least a part of the touch sensor and are configured not to cause a touch on the touch sensor before they are activated. A user can activate a touch-generating pad by pressing a tactile button associated with the touch-generating pad. In response to being pressed, the tactile button is configured to provide tactile feedback to the user. The touch-generating pad, when activated by the tactile button, causes a touch on the touch sensor.

1 . A touch-sensing system comprising: 
 a touch sensor configured to produce an electrical signal in response to a touch input;    a touch-generating pad proximate to at least a portion of the touch sensor; and    a tactile button associated with the touch-generating pad, the tactile button configured to provide tactile feedback and to couple to the touch-generating pad upon activation by a user, the touch sensor configured to detect the coupling of the tactile button with the touch-generating pad.    
   
   
       2 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the tactile button is configured to provide a responsive force in response to being pressed by the user, the responsive force being operative to provide tactile feedback to the user.  
   
   
       3 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein coupling the tactile button with the touch-generating pad electrically couples the touch-generating pad to the touch sensor.  
   
   
       4 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the tactile button is located remotely from the touch pad.  
   
   
       5 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the tactile button is located behind the touch senor.  
   
   
       6 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the tactile button has an electrical potential different than that of the touch-generating pad, and wherein the tactile button activates the touch-generating pad by electrically connecting to and changing the electrical potential of the touch-generating pad.  
   
   
       7 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 6 , wherein the electrical potential of the tactile button is circuit ground.  
   
   
       8 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein when the tactile button couples the touch-generating pad, the touch-generating pad is configured to mechanically contact the touch sensor sufficient to cause a detectable touch on the touch sensor.  
   
   
       9 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein when the tactile button couples the touch-generating pad, the touch-generating pad is configured to break a light beam emitted by the touch sensor sufficient to cause a detectable touch on the touch sensor.  
   
   
       10 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein when the tactile button couples the touch-generating pad, the touch-generating pad is configured to absorb the energy of an acoustic wave sufficient to cause a detectable touch on the touch sensor.  
   
   
       11 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein when the tactile button couples the touch-generating pad, the touch-generating pad is configured to produce a vibration that is detectable as a touch on the touch sensor.  
   
   
       12 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the touch-generating pad is removably attached to the touch sensor.  
   
   
       13 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the touch-generating pad is permanently attached to the touch sensor.  
   
   
       14 . The touch-sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the tactile button includes texturing that enables the user to determine by a sense of touch the function of an input associated with the tactile button.  
   
   
       15 . A system for interacting with a user comprising: 
 a display screen;    a touch sensor positioned in front of the display screen, the touch sensor being configured to produce a signal in response to a touch input;    a touch-generating pad positioned in front of the touch sensor, the touch-generating pad being configured such that the touch-generating pad, when not activated, does not cause a detectable touch on the touch sensor and, when activated, causes a detectable touch on the touch sensor; and    a tactile button associated with the touch-generating pad, the tactile button, when pressed by a user, being configured to activate the touch-generating pad.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the tactile button is configured to provide a responsive force in response to being pressed by the user, the responsive force is sufficient to provide tactile feedback to the user.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the tactile button is a snap dome button.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the tactile button is a silicone elastomeric button.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the tactile button is a rocker switch.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the tactile button is a carbon button.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the touch sensor is a capacitive touch sensor.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein when not activated, the touch-generating pad is configured not to capacitively couple with the touch sensor.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein in response to being activated, the touch-generating pad is configured to capacitively couple with the touch sensor.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the touch sensor is a resistive touch sensor.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein if not active, the touch-generating pad is configured not to mechanically contact the resistive touch sensor.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein in response to being activated, the touch-generating pad is configured to mechanically contact the resistive touch sensor.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the touch sensor is an optical touch sensor.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein when not active, the touch-generating pad is configured not to block light beams emitted by the optical touch sensor.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein in response to being activated, the touch-generating pad is configured to block a light beam emitted by the optical touch sensor.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the touch sensor is a surface acoustic wave touch sensor.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein when not active, the touch-generating pad is configured not to absorb energy of acoustic waves emitted by the surface acoustic wave touch sensor.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein in response to being activated, the touch-generating pad is configured to absorb sufficient energy of the acoustic waves emitted by the surface acoustic wave touch sensor.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the touch sensor is a vibration-sensing touch sensor.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein when not active, the touch-generating pad is configured not to cause vibrations in the vibration-sensing touch sensor.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein in response to being activated, the touch-generating pad is configured to cause vibrations that can be sensed by the vibration-sensing touch sensor.  
   
   
       36 . A method for providing tactile feedback to a user of a touch-sensing system, the touch-sensing system includes a touch sensor, the method comprising: 
 attaching a touch-generating pad onto the touch sensor in such a way that when not activated, the touch-generating pad does not cause a touch on the touch sensor; and    in response to the user pressing a tactile button associated with the touch-generating pad, activating the touch-generating pad and providing tactile feedback to the user; and    in response to activating the touch-generating pad, causing a touch on the touch sensor.    
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein in response to the user pressing the tactile button, providing a responsive force as tactile feedback to the user.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein causing the touch on the touch sensor is performed by capacitively coupling the touch-generating pad with the touch sensor.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein causing the touch on the touch sensor is performed by a mechanical contact between the touch-generating pad and the touch sensor.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein causing the touch on the touch sensor is performed by blocking a light beam emitted by the touch sensor with the touch-generating pad.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein causing the touch on the touch sensor is performed by absorbing the energy of an acoustic wave emitted by the touch sensor using the touch-generating pad.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein causing the touch on the touch sensor is performed by impacting the touch sensor in a manner sufficient to cause a detectable vibration in the touch sensor.